From Takeoff to Touchdown: Dissecting Data on Air Disasters
INFO 526 - Project Final
Abstract:
This study delves into a comprehensive analysis of aircraft crashes in the United States spanning from 1980 to 2022. It focuses on exploring crash locations, timings, consequences, and the influencing factors behind these incidents. Leveraging a detailed dataset sourced from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the research utilizes data visualization techniques and time-series analyses to uncover correlations and trends associated with these aviation mishaps.
Introduction:
The objective of this study is to meticulously examine aircraft crashes’ locations, timings, and consequences during the specified timeframe. The research aims to discern correlations, if any, contributing to these incidents and to ascertain whether certain regions are more prone to a higher number of crashes.
The research methodology involves a thorough analysis of the NTSB dataset, employing various data visualization tools and statistical analyses. Specifically, a heatmap is generated to visualize crash frequencies across different regions, while a radial bar plot illustrates crashes during specific flight phases. Additionally, the study investigates crash causes and their correlation with the severity of outcomes through bar plots and stacked area charts. A radar plot is utilized to explore crash occurrences concerning weather conditions and months.
Examining Aircraft Crashes, with a focus on their locations, timings, and consequences
Timeseries analysis of fatalities, and types of injuries
Approach
We aim to analyze the historical data on fatalities and injuries to understand the trends over the years. To initiate our investigation, we have created two animations. The first animation illustrates the cumulative count of both fatalities and injuries over time, employing the geom_line() function and incorporating a flight image to signify the movement of data points within the plot. In the second animation, we have categorized fatalities based on the severity of injuries, providing a visual representation of how different types of fatalities have evolved over time.
Findings
There has been a general decrease in the number of total fatalities from 1980 to 2022. A notable spike in fatalities was observed in 2001, attributed to the 9/11 attacks. Post-2001, a significant decline in fatalities was noted.
Choropleth map on number of crashes in different regions(US map)
Approach
The approach for creating a choropleth map of flight crashes in different U.S. regions involves data preparation, map generation, and animation. The dataset is filtered for valid latitude and longitude values, and relevant columns are selected. To ensure completeness, unique states and all years are identified. A function, is defined to create maps for each input year, customizing color scales. Maps are saved for each year using a loop.
The animation is created by loading saved map images, joining them into a sequence, and generating the animation. The resulting animation visually represents the temporal evolution of flight crashes across U.S. states.